Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of conveying technology and relates to a braking device for braking a conveying vehicle which is moved along a movement path. The present invention moreover relates to a conveying device with a braking device as well as to a method for braking a conveying vehicle. The braking device includes a brake element for creating a braking contact with the conveying vehicle.
Description of Related Art
Conveying devices with conveying vehicles which are led by rail and which are led independently of one another along guide rails via runner rollers or sliding elements are known in the art. Such conveying devices are designed, for example, as gravity conveyors. With such devices, the conveying vehicles are moved via drivers to a higher potential level, from where these are moved along a guide rail in the direction of a lower potential level by way of gravity. The term “potential level” relates to the potential energy of the conveying vehicles in the gravitational field.
The conveying path or the guide rail accordingly has an ascent on conveying from a lower to a higher potential level. The conveying path or the guide rail accordingly has a drop or descent, on conveying from a higher to a lower potential level.
Holding elements are coupled to the conveying vehicles in each case and these receive and hold the piece goods to be conveyed. The piece goods are thus conveyed along a conveying stretch defined by the guide rail, by way of the conveying vehicles.
The mentioned conveying devices have the advantage that the conveying vehicles can be moved individually, i.e. independently of one another, along a conveying stretch. This, for example, permits the conveying of piece goods along different conveying paths or a buffering of conveying vehicles occupied with piece goods, along a conveying stretch.
The patent application EP-B-0 856 480 describes a conveying device with a plurality of rail-led conveying vehicles. The conveying vehicles include runner rollers, with which the conveying vehicles roll along the guide rail.
The patent publication EP-B-1 169 249 describes a method and a device for the conveying of piece gods. The piece goods are loaded onto holding means, are conveyed in a manner held by the holding means and are unloaded again from the holding means.
Working steps are often carried out along the conveying stretch of a conveying device, and these steps demand a controlled movement of the conveying vehicles, in particular also with respect to the speed.
Means are required, in order to adapt the speed of the conveying vehicles in front of a processing device or pacing device, since the conveying vehicles however are moved in an uncontrolled manner and with an individual speed along a descent, and moreover since the speed for a subsequent processing device or pacing device is often too large.
Thus, for example, a controlled speed of the conveying vehicles is necessary for the pacing of the conveying vehicles by way of a pacing device. The pacing device is to move the conveying vehicles at uniform distances to one another and with a uniform speed, along a conveying stretch. This permits the execution of pace-controlled processing steps on the piece goods conveyed by the conveying vehicles.